Anti-deportation campaigners watched in despair last Wednesday night as almost 20 women were forcibly taken to the airport to be removed from the UK aboard a bus branded ‘Just Go!’.

They were driven from Yarl’s Wood immigration prison to join a mass deportation of over 50 Nigerians. Some still had outstanding appeals against deportation.

“It’s sinister for the Border Agency to use a coach plastered in ‘Just go!’ stickers when deporting people,” said a campaigner, adding: “Surely a bureaucrat somewhere realised that was woefully insensitive.”

Some of the women on the flight had lived in the UK for over 20 years and were respected pillars of their community. Now they will be on the street in Lagos likely with nowhere to go, few belongings and ‘their lives in tatters’, according to supporters. “This is a disgusting and racist way to treat humans,” said the activist.

Anti-deportation campaigners are blockading Colnbrook and Harmondsworth detention centres in a last-minute attempt to stop the forcible deportation of Iraqi refugees to Baghdad on a specially chartered flight scheduled to leave London this evening.

30 angry protesters from No Borders, Stop Deportation and other groups are blocking the joint entrance to the two detention centres near Heathrow airport. Six of them have encased their arms in glass and plastic tubes attached to concrete barrels, while others are holding banners and shouting slogans against the 'brutal deportation machine.'

Three coaches carrying over 30 of the deportees to the airport have not
been able to leave the complex. Another 30 are supposed to be taken at the same time from Brook House detention centre at Gatwick airport and Campsfield House in Oxfordshire. In total, it is expected that the flight, scheduled to leave an undisclosed airport at 11pm today, will carry
between 60 and 70 deportees, accompanied by twice as many private security guards and immigration officers.

Update at 8.30pm

Currently 5 Reliance vans are in the Colnbrook/Harmondsworth complex preparing to transport the detainees out of the rear entrance of the complex. It is unclear where these detainees will be taken.

It is understood that the Immigration Advisory Service has obtained an injunction against the flight but it is unknown whether this applies to some or all of the potential deportees.

The blockade of the front entrance continues. Police are now on the scene.

Final update, 9pm

Great news! It has been confirmed that this evening's charter flight has
been cancelled.

The blockade has now finished and none of the blockaders have been arrested.

Osamyia Aikpitanhi, a 23 year old from Nigeria died on the 09/06/2007 when he was deported back to Nigeria from Spain (1). The Iberia flight took off from Madrid but made an emergency lading in Alicante when the police officers discovered he was dead.

Osamyia’s family accused the two police officers from La Policia Nacional who escorted Osamyia of beating him up, with three accomplices. According to el Pais, the possible cause of death was from swelling after the police officers put a bandage inside Osamyia's mouth, allegedly to stop him biting. (2)

MEP (Migrant English Project): Abdelkrim Madjoudj (HOref: M702098). Abdelkrim is a 39 years old gentleman, Algerian who is currently detained at Brook House since last 17/12/2010 and has already been given direction removals for New Year’s Eve. Abdel has been living in the UK for 13 years and he is very much loved in the Brighton community.

Mehdi Mirzae, 26, a national of Afghanistan and long time resident of
Manchester is currently being detained in Dungavel IRC and due to be
forcibly removed from the UK @ 03:00 hrs by Charter Flight PVT 800 on
Tuesday 23rd November to Afghanistan. Please help us to fight his
imminent deportation.

Today, Friday 12th November, 150 people marched from the Angolan Embassy near Baker Street to the Home Office near Parliament Square to demand justice for Jimmy Mubenga, the 46 year old Angolan killed during a deportation from Heathrow exactly one month ago.

On 12 October 2010, Jimmy Mubenga an Angolan man died during a forced deportation from the UK. The Guardian reported that Jimmy was handcuffed and restrained by three private security guards on a British Airways flight from Heathrow. Shortly before he died, Jimmy was heard by other passengers crying out for help.

There have been fourteen deaths (twelve men and two women) since 1991 during forced deportations. The official cause of death in most cases was positional asphyxia or cardiac arrest. Of the fourteen that died, ten were Africans (of which six were Nigerians).